The Art Of Unwrapping

On one of my Pinterest boards I have an image from the lookbook of Jessica Hearnshaw, accessories designer based in London who is currently completing her BA (Hons) Cordwainers Accessories: Product Design & Development, who's focus is around the design and craftsmanship of high quality, conceptual leather goods.

Jessica is inspired by the minimal aesthetic of Japanese packaging, and the notion that the packaging is like opening a gift and the unwrapping is as much of an experience as what's inside the package itself. Jessica has explored this relationship between interior and exterior by creating accessories, particularly bags, that are as fascinating to unwrap, as a gift is to open.

Jessica goes on to explain that the outcome, in terms of Japanese packaging, was often "not only practical for storage and transporting the object but also produced a simple beautiful shape free of all excess and extravagance". Whilst I don't feel her own accessories are entirely free of extravangance, as I think free of extravagance isn't always a positive thing, she's certainly stripped things back to not exactly the bare essentials, but to something very lean and slick.

The nude/black combination is, and always will be, and elegant classic and serves to enhance these beautiful silhouettes.

As someone who's grown to fully understand that a really well crafted bag is indeed an investment, I feel Jessica's work is entering that realm.